Paint can holder



Sept. 6, 1955 B. A. WALSH 2,717,109

PAINT CAN HOLDER Filed om. 20, 1952 32 v INVENTOR. Hg 5 BERNARD A. WALSH161px & 16min AGENTS United States Patent PAINT CAN HOLDER Bernard A.Walsh, San Diego, Calif.

Application October 20, 1952, Serial No. 315,783

3 Claims. (Cl. 224-) The present invention relates generally to a paintcan holder and more particularly to a paint can holderincorporating avest having novel belt and front panel construction and novel removablesupport means for directly engaging the can.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a paint can holderwhich is adapted to be worn by an operator to provide a secure supportfor a paint can while leaving both hands free.

Another object of this invention is to provide a paint can holder of thetype described which is adjustable to receive all sizes of paint canscommonly in use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a paint can holder inwhich the portion directly secured to the paint can may be quicklydetached from the portion worn by the operator allowing complete freedomof movement without completely removing a vest portion of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paint can holderincluding a vest portion which is effective as a garment protector andalso as a distributor for the weight of the paint so that the operatoris not unnecessarily tired.

Another object of this invention, ancillary to the preceding objects, isto teach the best known mode of implementing the principles of theinvention in carrying the invention into actual practice.

Another object of this invention is to provide a paint can holder whichis adapted for fabrication from many different materials, so that thechoice of material can be according to the dictates of availability andprice c0nsiderations, the exact sizes and proportions being matterseasily determined to suit particular conditions and needs.

Another object of this invention is to provide a paint can holder whichis inexpensive and practicable to manufacture.

Finally, it is an object to provide a paint can holder of theaforementioned character which is simple, safe and convenient tooperate, and which will give generally efficient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consistsin the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements andportions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification,particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawingwhich forms a material part of this disclosure and wherein similarcharacters of reference indicate similar or identical elements andportions throughout the specification and throughout the views of thedrawing, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of the paint can holder.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in the direction of arrows 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the attachment of the canholder to the vest portion.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the paint can holder containing a paintcan.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the device comprises a vestportion indicated by the numeral and a Ice 16 and a rear panel 18interconnected by shoulder straps 20 which define the lateral boundariesof a head aperture 22, the whole being preferably fabricated from asingle piece of material such as canvas or another strong cloth. Thevest 14 is provided with two straps 24 and 25 of leather or othersuitable material which are stitched or riveted to the front panel 16and the rear panel 18 in spaced relationship, the straps having loops 26at one end of the vest, their ends 28 and 30 being provided with buckles32 for adjusting said straps to fit the wearer. The lower end of thevest portion is provided with a support stiffener 34 having a verticalflange 36 which is curved to the approximate contour of the operatorsbody, said flange being secured between the lower strap 24 and the frontpanel 16 by means of rivets 38. The support stiffener 34 is alsoprovided with a horizontal flange 40 having secured to its upper surfacea support plate 42 by means of rivets 44. The support plate 42 isprovided with a flange 43 and extends vertically upwardly to the upperstrap 25 and has secured at its top edge a stiffener bracket 46 having avertical flange 48 curved to the approximate contour of the operatorsbody and a horizontal flange 50 provided with two slots 52. Both thesupport plate 42 and the stiffener bracket 46 are secured to the upperstrap 25 and the front panel 16 by means of rivets 54 The can holdercomprises a shelf 56 having a back plate 58 and a base plate 60 which isattached to the vest portion 10 by means of two locating pins 62engaging with holes 64 in the support plate flange 43, the upper end ofsaid back plate being retained by means of catches 66 having springbiased bolts 68 engageable with the slots 52.' A fixed clamp plate 70 issecured to the back plate 58 by means of rivets 72, said fixed clampplate being substantially semi-circular in cross-section in a horizontalplane and having suflicient resiliency to conform to the curvature ofvarious sizes of paint cans thus assuring a firm grip on said paintcans. An angle plate member 74 is secured to the base plate 60 by meansof screws 76 slidably engaged in slots 78 in said base plate 60 andextending through the horizontal portion 82 of the member 74, Wing nutsbeing provided for said screws. The clamping portion 74 includes a neck84 and an arcuate sliding clamp plate 86 integrally formed with saidneck. The sliding clamp plate 86 illustrated is substantiallysemi-circular in cross section in a horizontal plane and is sufficientlyresilient to conform to the curvature of various sizes of paint cans.

The operator dons the vest portion by first placing an arm through thearm aperture indicated by the numeral 88 and the head through the headaperture 22. The buckles 32 are then engaged and adjusted so that thevest portion assumes a comfortable position on the wearer. The canholder assembly 12 is now fitted to the vest portion by placing thelocating pins 62 in the holes 64 and locking said holder assembly inposition by means of the spring catches 66. A can of paint is now placedon the floor portion 82 and the angle plate member 74 is adjusted sothat the clamp plate 86 establishes a firm grip on the paint can, thenthe wing nuts 80 are tightened. The can holder assembly 12 is easilyremoved from the vest portion by releasing the spring catches 66 andtilting said can holder assembly forward as illustrated in Fig. 4 toallow the locating pins 62 to be disengaged from the holes 64. With theassembly 12 and the paint can removed, the operator has complete freedomof movement without removing the vest portion.

The operation of this invention will be clearly comprehended from aconsideration of the foregoing description of the mechanical detailsthereof, taken in connection with the drawingand the above recitedobjects. It will be obvious that all said objects are amply achieved bythis invention.

Further description would appear to be unnecessary. It is understoodthat minor variationfrom the .form of the invention disclosed herein maybe made-without departure' from the spirit and. scope ofthe invention,and

panel, and an angle plate member releasably secured to said shelf, saidshelf and said member having confronting paint can engaging elementssecured thereto;

.2. Apparatus for. painters, comprising a vest, an inflexible panelmounted on the front of said vest, a paint can holder assembly removablysecured-,to said panel, saidassembly including a shelf releasablymonntedonsaid" panel, and an angle plate member releasably secured to=-saidshelf, said shelf and said member having paint'can' engagingelements secured thereto, said elements being,

opposed arcuate clamp plates, said clamp plates being slightly resilientto conform with the curvature of slightly differently sized paint cans.

3. Apparatus for painters, comprising a vest, an inflexible panelmounted on the front of said vest, a paint can holder assembly removablysecured to said panel, said assembly including a shelf releasabiymounted on said panel and secured atthe upper and lower edges of saidpanel, an angle. plate member releasably secured to the lower portion ofsaid shelf, said shelf'and' member having paint can engaging elementssecured thereto, saidelements being opposed arcuate clamp plates, saidclamp plates being slightly resilient to conform with the curvature ofslightly difierently sized paint cans, said angle plate member beinghorizontally slidably adjustable on said shelf to accommodate forradically differently sized paint cans.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,109,161 Chindgren Sept, 1, 1914 1,179,061 Young Apr. .11, 1916"2,271,136 Geiger Jan. 27, 1942

